How to embrace being pregnant on your wedding day

SmashingTheGlass.com’s founder, Karen Cinnamon, 13 weeks pregnant on her wedding day by  Earthy Photography

Karen Cinnamon, STG’s founder, was pregnant on her wedding day and looked absolutely stunning. If you too will be pregnant on your day, you need not fret. Read on about why you should embrace your little miracle, and some words of advice to ensure that your pregnancy only adds to the magnificence of your day..

The tiny second line on the stick you just peed on is the greatest thing you’ve ever seen. At this point you may or may not know it, but you have been blessed. What is happening inside you is so much bigger than any wedding, so much more beautiful than your dream dress, so much more precious than the ring on your finger. Like Woody Allen said, “if you want to make G-d  laugh, tell him your plans.” I am here to tell you that when G-d  tells you your plans — via a tiny plastic stick — it’s no laughing matter.

My most important piece of advice is not to let old-fashioned, subjective values ruin your excitement. The modern bride lives in a world where premarital sex is commonplace, and having children before marriage no longer carries the same stigma it once did. While religious considerations are valid, what is most important are the values you and your fiancà© share. This day is about the two of you, after all.

When women fall pregnant (before their wedding or after) some wait until the end of the first trimester to spread the news. Others wait till after the nuchal translucency test,  or the 12 week  scan. Regardless, it’s hard not to gush. Especially when you are at your hen  party and the number of toasts  or I-made-this-drink-just-for-you’s is endless.

Tell someone

You need a friend, a wing-woman,  at the hen  party and the wedding, to swoop in and replace your drink with a glass of cranberry juice. My sister-in-law was mine. She’d always make sure I was holding a colourful drink so that I was simply unable to take another. At the wedding, when she saw me holding a shot, she “accidentally” danced her way over, smashing the shot glass across the room. (Good save, but that shot glass was filled with water).

Images: pregnant celebrity brides (left) Aleisha Keys, and (right) Lily Allen

Inform your dress designer

Another person worth telling is your dress designer. When I found out I was pregnant, I was so naà¯ve. I thought that if I don’t gain too much weight, besides growing a bump down the line, my body wont really change. I was in for a surprise. Your body accumulates fat, everywhere, as storage for breast milk. Your hips get wider to prepare for labour. Don’t even get me started on your cup size (my favourite change), which you will probably notice before you even know you’re pregnant. Even though this might sound frightening, it is the most beautiful, natural, feminine occurrence and your wedding dress need not look less stunning. If you are early in your pregnancy like I was, no one will notice the differences except you. As long as your dressmaker knows what to expect, she can alter the fabric as you go to fit your new beautiful measurements. Be proud of your changes, be proud of the miracle inside.

Eat healthily

Regardless of how pregnant you are, whether your baby already has fingernails or is still just a ball of cells, nutrition is vital. Most brides-to-be drive themselves crazy  to lose weight and look perfect, or they are just too stressed to eat. Dress fittings are designed to fit the dress to your body, not the other way around. Start taking folic acid, cut out artificial sweetener, eat lots of fruit, vegetables and healthy fats. Drink plenty of water. Don’t smoke or drink alcohol. Give up the common bridal dieting obsession.

Be kind to your body

Probably the hardest part for me was changing my exercise regime. Depending on how much you exercised before you were pregnant, modifications have to be made for which you should consult your doctor and talk to a personal trainer. You have to cut out crunches, jumping (or any impact movements), twisting, and letting your heart rate get too high. I have found swimming and Pilates to be the most relaxing and beneficial alternatives for me. Listen to your body when you exercise, you are growing a little person inside you and your body needs rest in order to manage. Don’t over do it or push it too hard. Be mindful about what you need.

Image: Emily Quinton via Love My Dress

Relax

Wedding planning can be extremely stressful with people arriving from overseas, last minute decisions, anticipation and nerves. Research shows that when you are stressed your body releases the stress hormone cortisol. Your baby feels this stress too. Too much cortisol in your baby’s system can rewire and damage his or her stress response for life, leading to excess anxiety. Be kind to your baby by being kind to yourself.

Do you or do you not tell the rabbi?

Some people opt to reveal the news to  their rabbi. This is because in the chuppah, he blesses the bride to become pregnant. My hairdresser told me the day of the wedding that I absolutely must make sure he does not do this blessing. When it came down to it though, my husband and I felt more comfortable not mentioning it. Each to their own.

This is your day

If you want to take a break from dancing because your swollen pregnant ankles are sore, or the smell of that guy’s cologne is making you nauseous, sit down. At my wedding, I was starving. While I was eating people kept pulling me in all directions, but I wouldn’t budge. The food was amazing and everyone could wait. Especially because you’re pregnant, but also because this day is about you, do what makes you happy. Eat slowly. Breathe. Change into the Havaianas that you brought with just in case. If it all gets too much, try to remember the most important thing: not only does this day mark the beginning of your life together, but you have so much more to look forward to than you ever expected.

Image: Tammy Viterbo and her husband Tom on her wedding day by Herschel Gutman.

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Tammy Viterbo  is a 24-year-old Australian who has been living in Tel Aviv for six years. She has an undergraduate degree in psychology and is currently pursuing her masters degree in social work. She loves writing about Israel, relationships, pregnancy and parenting, and one day wants to be a family and couples therapist. She is married to Tom, and they are expecting their first baby at the end of November.